The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-06-01
MEMORIAL DAY
FittIngIy Observed at Somerset.

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O'clock an unusually large crowd had col
lected in front Of he Court house and q 4
n. headquarters, where the procession was
10 form. The procession formed in the order
and marched over the course as stated in the
progrgn published in last weeks HERALD.
Many of the business houses and private
residences along the line of march were pro-
f,scly and tastily decked with flags and
bunting
Upon arriving at the cemetery the accus-
toned ceremonies were performed in the fol-
lowing order
Opening, by Commander John Ii. Huston.
Dirge by the Band.
Prayer, by Chaplain Hiram King
Par, first by S. V. c.. Oliver Knepper.
Part second, by J. V. G., Geo. H. Love.
Part third by p Com Jonas NJ Cook.
Part fourth by p Com. w. NJ Schrock.
strewing of flowers, and music by the
Band
Grafton, by Appleton Bash.
Song by the Assembly
Grafton, by Com W. H. Sanner.
Benediction. by Rev Bartlett.
A couniermarch was had TO the Reformed
cemetery, where the concluding ceremonies
were had, after which the procession return
ed to the place ofstarting, and was dismissed.
REV BAsHs GRAFTON.
Rev Bash. ON being introduced, delivered
the following address, in most pleasing and
eloquent manner, holding the close atten-
ton of bis large crowd of listeners
Fathers, Soldiers, and Couatrymen Fair
all the solenuity of death. Life with its
joys and sorrows, with them is over forever.
Their lips are voiceless their eyes forever
closed Amid the smoke and heat of battle
many of them passed away; and now, in
this solemn place, amid the quiet of nature,
we have met 10 pay them honor. Withyou,
brave soldiers, they shared the fatigue of the
march. the danger Of the battle, the chagrin
of retreat. and the glory Of the victory With
you they sat around the same campfire.
shared the same fare heard the roll OF the
reveillc which called TO duty, or the beat Of
the tattoo which sent you TO the earth for a
bed, and the knap-saek for q pillow And
now We have met in the peaceful abode of
tie departcd-the living and the dead-the
ore to drop a tear for the other. 1t is a sol
emn duty We perform. The flag of our coun-
try droops heavily from yonder staff, and all
nature seems to echo the sympathy Of this
day. Fighting in the holiest of cause.-the
cause of the Union, they fell but their blood
was not she'd in vain. From every drop Of
patriotic blood that sunk into Southern soil,
there sprung a hero TO fight for this glorious
Union. From thSdarkness and death ofthe
fight the angel of our coun,rys freedom
emerged with brighter glory on her wings (;
and beyond the smoke of warfare rose the
dawn Of this brighter day No more viii
they answer the bugle call all is over--they
are at resi- Yea, in the shining courts Of
heaven they rest from the toilsome march,
and the heroes OF the past greet them with
smiles of joy and welcome, and their souls,
once troubled by the alarms of war are sooth
ed by the music of the angels, and the Eter-
nal bids them rejoice Fond hopes are here
buried yea. beneath the sod true, loyal hearts
that once throbbed with that passion which
is most like en--Loye-moulders into
dust And yet from the grave itself from
the very skull ofdeaih, fair flowers bloom in
lcyeliness and with their fragrance sanctify
the air of this spot
And why did they die? They died that
this American Union might live. The
Union is a holy thing A hundred years
ago il was born and baptized in rivers OF sa-
cred blood. For it thousands of brave men
left their homes, their wives, their sweet
hearts to die amid ice and SHOWS the terror
of battle, or the dishonor OF the seaifold. No
one can count the tears the prayers and
lives, that have been freely given that this
Onion might be an eternal bond of brother
aood Tor millions, and forever saved Is the
nome Of the free. The man that would lay
his finger upon any Of It's pillars, not only
dishonors the dead, bat inyokes upon his
name the curse of ages. | care not what
may be his pretence-whether for the pro-
lection of black slavery in the South or
white slavery in the North-that man is a
traitor TO the mother whose breast nouri.hed
him. traitor to the heroic dead, whose very
graves abhor the pollution of his step. Bcne-
dict Arnold was hero, although traitor
but the man who would strike the Union to-
day, stands arrayed in all the horror of Ar
nolds treason, without one redeeming ray
OF his heroiSm The Union is TO Freedom,
what the Bible is TO Hope. For this, then,
they died War, at best is sad thing.
Its miseries may be easily conceived from its
very nature In war the strength, skill, en-
ersy and resources Of whole country are
for the iniiiciion of suffering
and death The resources of art and nature
are exhausted 10 increase the power of man
in destroying bis ieIlow-creatures. Repair
in thought TO a recent battlefield. Here are
heaps Of slain. weltering in their own blood;
here are multitHdes trodden under foot, and
the war horse leaves the trace OF his hoof in
many mangled face Here are the wound
ed they live, but live without hope. Amidst
these horrors you see the bird and beast of
prey gorging themselves with the dead or
dying. War is thus regarded as a terrible
thing. But war for God and Freedom, and
Home, honest war, waged with the sword
and rifle, thai are taken from their places
above the poor mans hearth, and sanctiiied
with the tears of mother, wife or sister WA
that is fought on native soil with the God
of fbaitlcs with ms, that i a holy thing in the
sight OF heaven. And IN such war, waged
on American soil for the preservation Of this
Union. your comrades died. From the eter
nal world they look down upon Us, and the
fruits of their sacrifice. From the battle
ments of high Heaven, where waves lmman-
uel's stainless banner, they look down upon
vour banner of freedom a the sun gleam OF
victory glitiers on iis stars. Alone. amid the |
ranks of battle. where none paused toreceive
the last message, or ere the battle shout |
had ceased to echo on their ears, they passed |
away. Bat as they fled on spirit wings to |
their eternal rest, the souls of the mighty |
lead--heroes and martyrs for freedom come |
to the pcary gate, and hail them |
welcome home Brutus, stern, heroic Bru- |
tus is there, Hampden and Sidney are there, |
the fathers of the Revolution are there; |
Warren, Putnam are among |
ihe first in The mighty crowd, and each spir-
i sounding welcome home to the martyrs
Df the Rebellion.
The kind hands of wife or lover were not |
pressed over their brows when the big drops |
Of the death dew announced the approach of |